Interrogate Your Entire Family

When Zhang Meng heard that even his own son was to be brought in, panic seized him. A flicker of struggle flashed through his eyes, but it quickly vanished, and he hurriedly began begging for mercy without pause.

Liu Jinhu, however, seemed not to have heard him at all. He merely wore a faint smile at the corner of his lips and said nothing.

The atmosphere in the Waste Hall was extremely grave. Everyone was waiting for an outcome, scarcely daring to breathe.

Before long, the crying of women, the coughing and wheezing of the elderly, and the terrified wails of children finally drifted in from outside.

The moment Zhang Meng heard those voices, his face went deathly pale. They were his family.

A group of Law Enforcement Hall disciples escorted Zhang Meng's entire family into the Waste Hall.

Zhang Meng had worked in the Waste Hall for over twenty years. He had brought his whole family over, and they had lived in the Waste Hall for many years.

They had suddenly been dragged here today and beaten as well. Those disciples who had once treated them with some courtesy had, today, beaten them without distinguishing black from white before escorting them here.

Zhang Meng saw his wife shoved to the ground and hurried over to help her up. The moment she saw Zhang Meng, she began crying bitterly in grievance.

"Hubby, what is going on? Have we violated some sect rule?"

Her face was full of panic, and she had no idea what was happening.

Just last night, Zhang Meng's family had still been immersed in the joy of moving house and their son taking a master. Yet in the blink of an eye, they had been seized by the Law Enforcement Hall in broad daylight. Anyone would have been terrified and bewildered.

But Zhang Meng did not dare speak. He could only keep signaling to his wife with his eyes.

"Enough. All of you, quiet!"

Liu Jinhu let out a thunderous roar. His voice was loud and infused with spiritual power, instantly suppressing the entire noisy scene.

Zhang Meng's family looked at the burly man before them with fearful eyes, not daring to breathe. Even the children stopped crying.

"Come. Now tell me, when did Zhang Meng return home last night?"

Liu Jinhu slowly walked up to Zhang Meng's wife and asked.

Zhang Meng's wife did not understand what he meant. She vaguely remembered that Zhang Meng had hurried back from outside only in the middle of the night, carrying the scent of something scorched on him.

Then, seeing the fire-ravaged ruins in the Waste Hall, Zhang Meng's wife suddenly understood. Terror flooded her heart.

Could the fire in the Waste Hall have been Zhang Meng's doing? No wonder the Law Enforcement Hall had brought them here.

Zhang Meng, you deserve to die!

Zhang Meng's wife was in complete turmoil, but at this moment they were all in the same boat. How could she dare expose Zhang Meng? So she pretended to think for a moment and said,

"Last night, Zhang Meng came back before midnight. He was drunk as a skunk, and he went to sleep early."

"Oh, is that so?"

Liu Jinhu smiled faintly, then continued questioning Zhang Meng's next family member.

Some said they did not know, while others echoed her words, saying only that Zhang Meng had returned very early.

"Good, good, good."

Liu Jinhu did not get angry. Instead, he suddenly lifted Zhang Meng's younger son with one hand and held him against his chest.

"Come, little brother. Tell me, are they all lying?"

"You should know that it is wrong for children to lie. If you lie, you will be punished."

Though he smiled as he spoke, he gave off an incomparably sinister feeling.

Zhang Meng's younger son had never seen such a scene before. He had long since been frightened by the killing intent emanating from Liu Jinhu.

On top of that, he was still young. Hearing Liu Jinhu say that liars would be punished, he immediately burst into loud sobs and hurriedly said,

"I'm not lying, I'm not lying! Father came back last night... in the middle of the night. I saw it myself. He only came back after midnight."

The moment those words came out, everyone was utterly shocked. After midnight!

Wasn't that just when the Waste Hall had caught fire not long ago?

Zhang Meng shut his eyes tightly, knowing that he was finished.

Liu Jinhu's smile grew even brighter. Stroking the child's cheek, he asked,

"Then tell me, why were they lying?"

"I don't know, I don't know! I'm scared..."

The child wailed loudly. He had already been scared out of his wits.

"Enough."

Liu Jinhu did not make things difficult for the child. He set him down on the ground and looked at Zhang Meng again.

"Zhang Meng, I'll give you one more chance to answer. If you continue playing false with me, I'll let you see Liu Jinhu's methods. Heh heh."

Liu Jinhu's tone was chilling, making Zhang Meng tremble all over. He struggled for a long time before finally letting out a deep sigh.

"That's right. I set this fire."

The entire hall was shocked by those words.

"No, Zhang Meng, why would you do such a thing?"

"Zhang Meng, how could you do this to me?"

"We've worked together for so many years, weathering wind and rain together, and you actually wanted to burn all of us to death?"

Manager He, in particular, wore a face of utter disbelief. Aside from himself, Zhang Meng had been in the Waste Hall the longest. He had always been rather easygoing and honest, yet who would have thought he would resort to such a vicious hand?

"Good."

Liu Jinhu said with a smile,

"You can be considered someone who knows which way the wind blows. You've spared us a great deal of unnecessary trouble."

"Men! All of Zhang Meng's family lied before me! They covered for him! They refused to cooperate with the investigation! According to the Law Enforcement Hall's disciplinary code, punish them all severely!"

"Yes!"

The Law Enforcement Hall disciples all drew a vine whip from their waists. Though the whip looked light, it was covered in sharp barbs and had been soaked in strong liquor, making it an extremely terrifying sight.

"Ten lashes each. Beat them."

Liu Jinhu's voice was no longer kind.

With a crack, a whip lashed across Zhang Meng's back. His clothes instantly tore apart, his flesh split open, and blood and meat flew everywhere!

Fortunately, he was at the fourth level of Body Tempering and could barely endure it.

But his family was not so fortunate. They were all ordinary mortals—how could they withstand whips of such power? For a time, miserable screams filled the entire Waste Hall, so painful that one could not bear to listen further.

Zhang Meng clenched his teeth tightly as he watched his family being whipped bloody. His face was filled with painful regret.

The one fortunate thing was that his younger son was not subjected to the whipping. Liu Jinhu had spared him after all.

Just then, a voice suddenly rang out from outside the door.

"Father, Mother, what happened to you?"

A young man in a green robe rushed into the Waste Hall. He had sword-like brows and star-bright eyes, brimming with youthful spirit.

It was Zhang Meng's eldest son, Zhang Xiao!

Zhang Xiao had heard that his family had been taken away by the Law Enforcement Hall, so he had hurriedly chased them to the Waste Hall.

The instant he entered, he saw his family beaten until they were covered in blood, while those turtle bastards from the Law Enforcement Hall were still swinging their whips and viciously lashing his family.

The young man's fury rushed to his head, and without a care for anything else, he roared,

"Stop! Liu Jinhu, you dare lay hands on my family? You're utterly despicable!"

Liu Jinhu replied arrogantly,

"The Law Enforcement Hall is investigating a case. These are normal methods for dealing with stubborn, unrepentant criminals. You are Zhang Meng's son, so you must also submit to investigation. As long as you cooperate, you can be spared this punishment—"

Before Liu Jinhu could finish, Zhang Xiao thundered, "I'll investigate your mother!"